Enterprise Systems: Can They Deliver Value in the Long Term?

March 18, 2008

Business processes have been defined, data architectures are strong and finally your ERP system is deployed. All systems go, right? Not so fast. You have a complex new system that has cost you millions, but is it going to do what you want? Will it be used? Will the documented productivity gains at other firms be duplicated at yours? Do you have the will to implement the change management needed to realize value? Perhaps you should have taken your existing legacy applications and connected them together using Web Services, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), and Enterprise Mashups.

What do you need to do to ensure the ERP system delivers its promise? Are training, usability analysis, customization, and complicated deployment strategies required? How will you maintain corporate commitment? Do enterprise systems make sense in the future? Should we implement new ones? Should we retire old ones?